Even before the Acker trade, the Pistons were well positioned to go out and sign a player to a max contract, and still likely avoid paying a luxury tax.

But Acker being traded gives them additional flexibility.

When you consider how dire the economy is right now, even NBA teams are looking to scale back spending. There's a very good chance that there will be some talented veterans who won't get nearly what they believe they're worth, and have no choice but to settle for the veteran's minimum which is close to $1 million - which is what the Pistons would have owed Acker.